Protecting the “River Wolves”

Native to the waters of China, Mongolia, and eastern Russia, Taimen salmon have been increasingly under threat due to poaching, sport fishing, and climatic changes. Because of their slow growth and reproduction maturity, “They’re much more sensitive than other salmon to environmental change” says Pete Rand, senior conservation biologist with the Portland Oregon based Wild Salmon Center.

However recent research by the International Union for Conservation of Nature group has led to a new conservation status for these “River Wolves.” And while placement on the “red list” does not offer specific protections or laws, it’s an important start, as “underlining their potential vulnerability can make it easier for conservationists to push for regulation through other means,” explains Kelly Slivka in The New York Times.